In Praise Of Polaroid P/N 55

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

In Praise Of Polaroid P/N 55

Postby Walter Glover » 18 May 2021, 22:11

Aberdare Hotel, Weston, N.S.W.

Image

Rumour has it that the emulsion commissioned by Edwin Land was Kodak Panatomic, nominally 32 ISO with a delightful 1940s/1950s tonality. Extremely fine-grained. I would rate and shoot for a negative and process back in the darkrooom where I'd clear the film of the gunk and minimise the risk of garbage settling on the wet emulsion, using the Polaroid bucket. I'm hoping something similar appears again with constancy of supply given my new impediments.

Sinar F2 ii 4x5, Schneider Super Symmar XL 110mm 1:5.6, Polaroid P/N 55
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

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Maris
Posts: 882
Joined: 27 Jul 2012, 16:02
Location: Noosa

Re: In Praise Of Polaroid P/N 55

Postby Maris » 19 May 2021, 12:42

Walter, you caught the Aberdare Hotel at its best and brightest. The poor old thing has been closed since 2016 for renovations and the work remains incomplete.
Polaroid P/N 55 was always a love/hate experience. Why oh why couldn't the technology deliver a good positive AND a good negative, not one or the other, take your pick? Then, long after the stuff was officially discontinued, the samples available on the open market became $$ expensive and unreliable - shoot and pull blanks or partial pictures due to dried out pods. Not to complain too much, I'd welcome it back in its original form.
Still have the Polaroid bucket.

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: In Praise Of Polaroid P/N 55

Postby Walter Glover » 23 May 2021, 14:17

Maris,

Rhere'ss no denying the cost and wastage. But, when it worked, it was lovely. I never embraced Polaroids aas a proofing tool. Occasionally some clients insisted whereupon I had aa stamp for the back upon which they signed their approval and acceptance. How I hated bastarding such a wonderful playground of mentaal exploration with the rigours of commercial surrvvival!
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant


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